Ms Gallagher, who began her legal career in Dublin and now practises with Doughty Street Chambers in London, was among 13 people presented with awards by President Michael D. Higgins at a ceremony in Áras an Uachtaráin yesterday.

Since 2005, she has acted in many landmark human rights cases before the European Court of Human Rights, United Nations bodies and other international tribunals, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, and courts in the UK and a number of other jurisdictions.

Her prominent work has included acting for bereaved families and survivors of the 7/7 London bombings and the Hillsborough disaster, and in a number of high-profile case related to journalists’ safety, including acting for the family of Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was assassinated in Malta in 2017, and Jimmy Lai, the media owner, writer and pro-democracy campaigner imprisoned in Hong Kong.

The UN Secretary-General recently highlighted reprisals by the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities against Ms Gallagher as a result of her work leading Mr Lai’s legal team, drawing condemnation from the UK and US governments.

The Presidential Distinguished Service Awards are presented to members of the Irish diaspora for their outstanding contributions to Ireland and to the Irish abroad in a variety of fields.

Speaking after the ceremony, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said: “I was delighted to meet the thirteen recipients of the 2023 Presidential Distinguished Service Awards. Each has in their own way has made a notable contribution in their particular areas of endeavour.

“In doing so, they are representative of the many millions of Irish people who have over the years had such a positive impact in so many different parts of the world, and continue to do so.

“It serves as a reminder to all of us of the capacity of diaspora and immigrant communities to make a hugely positive contribution to their adopted communities.”